Nick Kyrgios, Alexander Bublik and even former world number one Andy Murray… There were several players who joined, during their time at Wimbledon, the “trend” of the low serve. That resource – a kind of drop shot that is made from the baseline, instead of the usual service – reappeared in the racket world a few years ago. At first it was seen very rarely in matches, but today it is more and more common. And even if it turns out curious and even funny for some, continues to generate controversy and there are not a few detractors who point out that, although it is legal because the regulations do not prohibit it, it is not for that reason that it is right to use it.
“There is no rule that says you can’t take it from below, so it’s not bad. Afterwards, each player makes the decision that they think is most convenient to win the point. I can’t say anything about that,” he commented. in a chat with Clarín Carlos Berlocq, former 37th in the ranking and current coach of Tomas Etcheverry.
“Equal, I do not agree to use it. As a player I would never have taken from below nor would I like my player to do so. I can’t understand it and I wouldn’t feel comfortable, neither to do it, nor seeing my player execute that shot”, continued the chascomunense, in an opinion shared by many in the tennis environment.
Kyrgios is often noted as the pioneer of such service, the person responsible for having introduced and “popularized” it in the day-to-day life of modern tennis. And it was-and still the target of much criticism– when you do it. But the truth is that long before the Australian began his adventures in professional tennis, there had been cases of players who used the “spoon serve”, as some call it, in official matches.
One of the most remembered, surely because of the setting and the circumstance, was the one that Michael Chang against Ivan Lendl in the round of 16 at Roland Garros 1989. It was in the fifth set, when the American, 17 years old and 19th in the ranking, led 4-3 and 15-30 against the Czech, number one in the world. The unusual serve threw his rival off, who quickly stepped forward and hit a forehand; but Chang won the point and, from then on, led a match that ended up winning 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3.
“That created a very interesting element to the match and it certainly made the battle, not just physical but also mental,” reflected the American in a chat with the ATP in 2019. He admitted: “I never did it again. It never occurred to me to use it. again, oddly enough.”
“Kyrgios was questioned about taking out from below. Today it ends up being even nice and viral that some others imitate that alternative. He was branded rude, a bad athlete and even a bad partner, disrespectful to the public. Just as an example I bring the memory of Michael Chang to Ivan Lendl in the Roland Garros final. In that case it was a resource, because he was cramped, to win the point; but since the image of the American was very good, nobody attributed it to a bad gesture, “Javier Frana recalled a few days ago in his usual opinion column for Clarín.
“I road Miloslav Mecir (NdR: Slovakian, four in the world in 1988), who was a super-talented player, getting him out from under Martin Jaite at Roland Garros. And more recently, I have seen it in high-level players like the Italian Sara Errani, which became number five in the ranking and uses it. She, for example, is usually caught on serve, with 15 double faults per game, and to avoid continuing like this, she serves from below. I dont think is bad. I come from the most conservative school and it would never have crossed my mind to get out from below. It was a service you used when you were just starting out and you still didn’t know how to hit that shot; but then it meant you had no level. Today I see it as a prank, part of a resource”, reflected mercedes peacecurrent captain of the Argentine team of the Billie Jean King Cup.
This curious way of serving is not viewed favorably by those who consider it a way of mocking or disrespecting the rival. Such criticism was received, for example, by the Argentine Renzo Olivo when he wore it during the second round match of the Challenger de Szcezin of 2017, which he lost to the Japanese Taro Daniel. He heard so many reproaches about it, that he went out to give explanations.
“It was one more resource at a difficult moment, when there was so much wind that it was difficult even to launch the serve. It was not to enjoy or disrespect anyone. It is valid and also adds something different to the spectator, like the pipe in football, which is positive in many aspects,” said Rosario in a message he posted on his social networks.
“At first, perhaps some did it to devalue the rival, to ‘spare it’. But I think today they do it more to change the pace, surprise, make sure they hit the serve in moments of tension and change the speed. I think that, like everything in tennis, it requires precision and practice,” said Paz, who came to occupy the 28th step of the ranking.
Rafael Nadal himself, who received this type of service more than once, in matches against Kyrgios and the American Mackenzie McDonaldfor example, was always clear with his position.
“If you do it with the aim of improving your game or tactically, I support it one hundred percent. If it’s disrespecting the rival, I don’t like it,” assured the Mallorcan.
In the last eleven days, on the green pitches of the All England, several players were encouraged to serve from below. Kyrgios, one of the best performers, did it several times. But he took it to another level during his tense third-round clash with Stefanos Tsitsipas, which he won in four sets.
When he was 2-3 and 40-0 in the first set, the Australian pretended to bounce the ball -as all players do before serving-, but surprised with a quick serve from below… between the legs. The Greek went ahead quickly and was able to hit the ball, but he crashed it into the net and his rival took the point. The oceanic served again that way later, which his opponent did not like at all and added tension in a hot game.
Murray also benefited from this resource in the match that he won in the first round against James Duckworth, compatriot of Kyrgios. With the score 2-1 and 15-0 in his favor in the third set, the Scot bounced the ball once and sent it across the net with an underpowered forehand. The Australian came to return it, but was misplaced on the court and the British ended up winning the point.
The trend reached the junior tournament, where the Macedonian Kalin Ivanovski, 18 years old and 1,691 in the ranking, was encouraged to throw it when he served for a match, being up 6-1, 5-2 and 40-0. He hit him between the legs, like Kyrgios, and grabbed his rival, the Mexican, so unconcentrated Rodrigo Pacheco Mendezwhich thus sealed the victory.
Nothing so unusual, the same, as what he did Alexander Bublik during their third round match against Frances Tiafoe. The Kazakh, who already has that shot incorporated as one more weapon in his arsenal, was 0-3 and 40-30 in the fourth set, having won the first and given up the next two. And without much to lose, he brought it up.
One, two, three… six times he took out the American from below in the fourth game. Only two were good and he even got to add a double fault, being in advantage, when two in a row were bad; but he ended up taking the game, to discount 1-3. Although he was unable to come back from the game, which the American closed in that same part.
After the unusual situation went viral, Kyrgios himself commented on Twitter: “I love it, it’s different. But if it were me, I would be accused of tanking and fined a minimum of 15 thousand pounds.”
Franco Squillariformer number 11 in the world and current director of the Development area of the Argentine Tennis Associationassured that he does not understand the reason why a player decides to execute this type of service so many times, which is frequently used by players such as the Spanish Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, the Hungarian Marton Fucsovics and even powerful servers, such as the Croatian Ivo Karlovic.
“It is a 100% resource to deconcentrate the rival, when you see him far behind, for example. I have received it during my career and it generally happens at important moments of the game. The one who receives has to be very attentive. It can work when you you do it once, maybe twice. But if you do it so many times, like Bublik, they will grab your hand and it will probably not be as effective”, commented who was a semifinalist at Roland Garros in 2000.
Another of the great critics of this resource, the man from Buenos Aires assured: “It is valid and the regulations allow it, but I do not share it. I think it dirty the game and comes out of what is the essence of the tennis player. I do not like it”.
The bottom serve is gaining more and more prominence in professional tennis, but it is far from convincing everyone. Criticized by some, celebrated by others as genius or mischief, at Wimbledon he appeared in several matches and did nothing more than revive a discussion that has been going on for several years.
